The Elements of Moral Philosophy 9e by James Rachels and Stuart Rachels is a best-selling text for undergraduate courses in ethics. Thirteen thought-provoking chapters introduce readers to major moral concepts and theories in philosophy through clear, understandable explanations and compelling discussions. Chapters are written so that they may be read independently of one another thus providing greater flexibility for students and instructors. **Available exclusively through McGraw-Hill Create (R), Discourses: A Database of Classical and Contemporary Readings for Philosophy by Donald C. Abel is an online collection of more than 450 readings that can be customized for your course.

Now in its eighth edition, James Rachels' and Stuart Rachels' The Right Thing to Do: Readings in Moral Philosophy continues its legacy of providing students a diverse collection of thought-provoking essays from historical and contemporary perspectives. Introductory essays by James Rachels and foundational readings in moral theory provide a base from which students can engage with the updated selection of essays on pressing issues. New to the Eighth Edition: From gun rights to the opioid crisis to racial equality, these new essays bring questions of moral philosophy into the daily lives of today's students. 1. A Death at Penn State, by Caitlin Flanagan 2. The Opioid Crisis, As Lived in West Virginia, by Margaret Talbot 3. Is Doping Wrong?, by Peter Singer 4. The Case for Reparations, by Ta-Nehisi Coates 5. Why Guns Shouldn't Be Outlawed, by Michael Huemer 6. Is Taxation Theft?, by Michael Huemer 7. Letting Go: What Should Medicine Do When It Can't Save Your Life?, by Atul Gawande 8. The Meaning of Life, by Richard Taylor

Firmly established as the standard text for undergraduate courses in ethics, this concise, lively book takes the reader on an in-depth tour of the major moral theories, always illustrating abstract ideas with concrete examples. Separate, self-contained chapters examine such theories as Egoism, Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics, and the Social Contract Theory. Through this conceptual framework, the text addresses timely and provocative issues, including abortion, racism, euthanasia, poverty, marijuana, homosexuality, the death penalty, and vegetarianism. The text's versatility makes it an ideal choice for use not only in ethical theory courses, but also in applied ethics courses of all kinds.

Problems from Philosophy is an introduction to philosophy organized around the great philosophical problems the existence of God, the nature of the mind, human freedom, the limits of knowledge, and the truth about ethics. It begins by reflecting on the life of the first great philosopher, Socrates. Then it takes up the fundamental question of whether God exists. Next comes a discussion of death and the soul, which leads to a chapter about persons. The later chapters of the book are about whether objective knowledge is possible in science and ethics. Each chapter is self-contained and may be read independently of the others. Problems from Philosophy represents the final work of author and philosopher James Rachels. In it, he brings the same liveliness and clarity to the introduction of philosophy that he brings to his best-selling ethics text, The Elements of Moral Philosophy. The second and third edition have been revised by Rachels' son Stuart, who carefully has carefully refined his father's work to further strengthen its clarity and accessibility.

James Rachels's philosophical writings address key questions of contemporary life and the classic dilemmas of moral philosophy. A leading figure in the development of applied ethics, James Rachels became an influential and sometimes controversial thinker on issues concerning animal rights, euthanasia, bioethics, and moral objectivity. This final collection of James Rachels's work brings together fourteen essays that best summarize Rachels's philosophical positions. The essays also shed new light on the depth and breadth of Rachels's work and its importance for contemporary philosophy.

Written in Rachels's characteristically lucid, literary prose, these essays address the relationship between morality and reason, the duty to relieve both human and animal suffering, the independence of morality from religion, the rejection of relativism and egoism, and the role of ethics in a democratic society. Rachels offers an argument for vegetarianism, examines a controversial case involving a surrogate mother, and speculates on the ethics of political killing. Other essays range from Rachels's interpretation of Nietzsche's philosophy to his appreciation of movies.

Rachels was a strong believer in the ability of moral philosophy to improve our lives. This collection, which brings these important works together for the first time, is a testament to both the value of moral philosophy in understanding our world and the richness of Rachels's contributions to this understanding.